Audible warning-signal for railway-crossings.



PATENTED DEG.- s, 1907. V c. 1). ANDERSON & A. G. STOUT.,

AUDIBLE WARNING SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY cRossmes. APPLIOATIONIIIQD MAY 27,1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ru: Nomus PETERS C0,, WAsHlNnToN n. a

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2L PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907. c. D. ANDERSON & A. STOUT.AUDIBLE WARNING SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY GROSSINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. ANDERSON AND ASHBY G. STOUT, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,ASSIGNORS TO UNION RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ACORPORATION OF KENTUCKY.

AUDIBLE WARNING-SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY-CBOSSINGS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES D. ANDER- SON and AsI-IBY G. STOUT, bothcitizens of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county ofJefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Audible aming-Signals for Railway-Crossings, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to audible warning signals for railway crossings,wherein a bell is electrically and automatically operated by anapproaching car to warn persons by the temporary ringing of said signalbell.

The objects of this invention are :(1) To provide novel means forringing a signal bell electrically at a railway crossing when anapproaching car is passing a point 1000 feet more or less from said.crossing. (2) To provide novel mechanism to keep said signal bellringing continuously while the car is traveling from said point to saidcrossing. (3) To provide novel means for electrically stopping theringing of said bell immediately as said car passes said crossing or anyother predetermined point. (4) To provide novel means for automaticallyestablishing temporal, local electric circuits from a moving car passingfixed points. (5) To provide novel means to prevent the short-circuitingof the current between the contact-rails through the agency of dirt andmoisture. (6) To provide novelty in the construction and fastenings ofthe railbed for the contact-rails. All these objects are attained in thepresent invention, andthe apparatus as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings is practical in operation and embodies the novel meansaforesaid and also other novel details of construction and combinationof arts, all of which will hereinafter be described in detail withreference to the drawings. And the operation and office of the variousparts will be explained in connection with their groups, so that theoperation of the apparatus as a whole may be clearly comprehended.

The various novel features, parts and combination of parts for whichprotection is desired are summarized in the claims following thedetailed description of said invention.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a side View in elevation of the railwaytrack-bed, the nearer rail, part of a car-truck, the axleguard, thecontact-brush attached to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 27. 1907. Serial No- 376.040.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

guard, the contact-rail bed carrying the contact-rails along its topedge, the metal fastenings which hold the rail-bed to the ties, and apart of the conduit for the electric wires coming up through thetrackbed. Fig. 2 is a cross section in elevation of part of the track bed,showing the section of one trackrail, the axle-guard, the contact-railbed, and the two contact rails on its top edge; showing also therelative location of the wire conduit, the wires running to thecontact-rails, and the contact-brush completing the circuit between thecontact rails and bolted to the axle-guard. Fig. 3 is a perspective anddetail view in elevation, of the battery in the ground, the electriccircuit from the release contact, the signal post, the sounding-boarduncovered on which are fastened the bell and Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview, ground plan, of

the railway track, the crossing, the signalpost, wire-poles,bell-ringing contacts 1000 feet from the crossing, the release contactsnear the crossing, and the entire electric circuit from thebell-contacts to the signal-post and from the release contacts to saidpost.

This invention has been made for use on steam railwaysas well as onelectric roads; but on steam roads where the speed of trains is oftensixty miles an hour or more, the bell contacts should be placed half amile or more from the crossings, and all the contact-rails should belong enough to insure the operation of the signal. With this in view, wewill now describe our invention in its application as illustrated in thedrawings.

1 and 1 indicate the near wheels of a cartruck; 2, the bolt that holdsthe contactbrush at a certain height; 3, one of the four bolts that holdthe brush-plates 4 and' P in position on the axle-guard 5,. (Figs. 1 8c2.)

6 shows the metal contact brush held rigid by the clamp 18 (Fig. 2).This brush acts as a contact-bridge to conduct the electric current overfrom one contact rail 8 to the other contact-rail 8, (Fig. 2) so acurrent coming in on the positive wire through conduit 21 may passthrough the contactrails and out again through the negative wire inconduit 21.

7 shows one of the counter-sunk screws that hold the contact rails 8 and8 to the rail-bed 9 (Fig. 1) 10 shows the bed of railroad; 11, the ties.

12 indicates one of iron angle clamps that help bind the rail-bed 9 tothe railroad ties 1 1.

13 shows a railroad spike passing through clamp 12 to hold it to thetie.

The ends of the rail-bed 9 are covered with the iron clamps 14, (Fig.1).

15 indicates one of the bolts passing laterally through said clamps andthe rail-bed 9 to hold said bed securely in position.

16 shows the near track rail; 17, the caraxle (Fig. 2).

20 indicates the positive conduit running to the contact-railS, and 20*,the negative 4 conduit running through the rail-bed 9 from contact-rail8 (Figs. 1 & 2).

19 shows a wood tongue standing out on the upper edge of rail-bed 9(Fig. 2) and running the entire length of said bed between the contactrails 8 and 8 to prevent the accumulation of dirt and-water between saidcontacts, such as would make short circuits between them.

In Fig. 3, signal-post 41 stands in the ground 10 near the battery-box45 which lies beneath the surface and contains battery cells 46. X and Yare the positive and negative terminals of the battery, respec tively.Signal-post 41 supports the iron conduit 42, protecting the electricwires from the battery-box to the sounding board 22 upon which board isfastened the signal bell 23 with magnet 24, and other electricallyoperated mechanism for controlling the signals. 25 and 25 respectively,are the posi tive and negative wires between battery 46 and bell-magnet24, the entire circuit through the bell-magnet being as follows T hebell-magnet circuit.From as along wire 25 through conduit 42, thecurrent runs to binding-post 44, thence through the metal-plate ground38 to post 32 and on through armature 32 and attached springcontact-strip 31 to the insulated contact-pin 29, where contact is madeby the energizing of magnet 37 and broken again by the energizing ofmagnet 26, which operation will be fully explained hereafter. Fromcontactpin 29 said bell-circuit goes to post 29 and thence through wire25 to bellnagnet 24, returning through wire 25 to binding-post 40, andthence through conduit 42 to binding post 47 in battery-box 45, and frompost 47 to the negative battery terminal y, (Fig.

3). This circuit hereinabove described will be referred to hereafter asthe bell-circuit.

As above stated the bell-circuit is made and broken respectively byforcing the spring contact-strip 31 against the point of the contact-pin29 and then allowing it to spring away from the contact-pin again to itsnormal position.

T he bell-starting circuit.As said above, magnet 37 is energized to makethe bellcircuit and the entire circuit of magnet 37 is as folloWs:Frombattery terminal 00 along wire 25 the current runs through conduit 42 tobinding-post 44, thence through metal plate ground 38 to magnet 37 andout again to binding-post 39, thence through Wire 36 to joint cl atwhich it shunts in either direction along line wire 53 down postconduits 55 through ground conduits 21 (Figs. 5 & 6), up throughbed-conduits 20 to the positive rails 8 of both bell-startingcircuitgaps C and C (Figs. 5 & 6), at either of which gaps, C or C whencontact-brush 6 momentarily sweeps along on both contactrails 8 and 8 bythe passage of a car carrying said brush, the metal brush 6 bridges thegap electrically between said contact-rails and allows said current topass to rail 8, from which it descends through bed-conduit 20" and alongthrough ground-conduit 21, up through post-conduit 55, along line wire53, down through 36 to binding-post 40, thence through conduit 42 tobinding-post 47 and on to battery-terminal y (Fig. 3). This circuit thustraced out will hereafter be referred to as the bell-starting circuit.

The bellstopping circuit-As stated above, the bell-circuit is broken bythe energizing of magnet 26, the complete circuit through which magnetis as follows: From battery terminal 90 along wire 25 through conduit42, the circuit flows to binding-post 44 where it shunts into wire 35and runs on through magnet 26, and then down along wire 35 throughconduit 42 and thence through battery-box 45 and conduit 21 (Fig. 3),where it may be shunted at joint 9 (Fig. 2) or led in any other suitableway, as in Fig. 6, to run both through conduit 21 to contact-rail 8 atcircuit-gap C and also through bedconduit 20 to contact rail 8 atcircuit-gap C (Fig. 2), at either of which circuit-gaps, whencontact-brush 6 momentarily sweeps along on both contact-rails 8 and 8by the passage of a car carrying said brush, the metal brush 6 bridgesthe circuit-gap electrically between said contact rails and thus allowssaid current to pass to rail 8". If said brush sweeps along bridging thecircuit-gap C the current will pass to rail 8 at the gap C and backthrough ground conduit 21 to wire joint 7b (Fig. 2) and thence along thenegative wire through conduit 21 to bindingpost 47 in battery-box 45,and then to the battery terminal y (Fig. 3). If, however,

stop-post 33.

said brush sweeps along bridging the circuitgap C the current forenergizing magnet 26 will then pass to rail 8 at the gap C and downthrough bed-conduit 20 to wire-joint h (Fig. 2) and thence along thecourse above traced from joint h to the battery terminal y (Fig. 3).Said energizing current for magnet 26 thus traced out in detail will behereafter referred to as the bell-stopping circuit.

Operation of the signal mechamlsm.1t is now clearly seen that whenever acar carrying contact-brush 6 properly set, passes along track 58 from Ctoward C the brush 6 momentarily bridges the gap C in the bellstartingcircuit above mentioned and thus momentarily energizes magnet 37, whichinstantly draws armature 32* against its poles. This action forces thespring-contact strip 31 against contact-pin 29, the contact of whichparts instantly closes the bell-circuit and the signal bell 23 beginsringing before said car has passed C But it is evident that whencontact-brush 6 passes off the contact-rails out of the circuit-gap Cthe bell-starting circuit will be broken and magnet 37 cease to beenergized, and armature 32 under the compulsion of its spring stem 32fastened in post 32*, would fly out to its normal position as seen inFig. 3; and the bell-circuit would be then broken. But the bell-circuitremains for the time intact for the following reasons :Armature 32 isextended in a rigid finger 32 up to armature 28 of magnet 26; andarmature 28 is supported by post 27' with angle spring 27 connectingthem and normally pressing armature 28 out away from the poles of itsmagnet 26 and against the rounded end of finger 32. Now, armature 28 hasa deep groove 28 cut across it transversely in a position to be in linewith finger 32 when armature 32 is drawn against the poles of magnet 37,so that every time that armature 32 is drawn against the poles of magnet37, armature 28 with its deep groove 28 springs down over the end offinger 32 and so holds said finger locked in said position. Saidoperation preserves the bellcircuit intact until broken by the releaseof finger 32 from the groove 28 and the separation of contact-strip 31and pin 29 by=the action of spring-stem 32 (Fig. 3). The outwardmovement of spring-armature 28 is controlled by stop-pin 34 in itssupportingpost 33; and the outward movement ofspring-actuated finger 32is controlled by its Armature 28 carries insulating post 30 whichsupports contact-pin 29,.

The release of the finger 32 and the consequent breaking of thebell-circuit happens in the following way :When said car in its passagefrom C toward C reaches C brush 6 sweeps along the contactrails andmomentarily bridges the gap at C in the bell stopping circuit abovementioned, and thus momentarily energizes magnet 26, which instantlydraws armature 28 toward said mag net and then releases finger 32 fromgroove 28*, and armature 32 and its finger 32 impelled by spring-stem 32fly out to their normal positions (Fig. 3), instantly separating thespring-contact-strip 31. from the contact-pin 29 and thus breaking thebell-circuit. By these operations, it may be clearly seen that when acar going in the direction of from C toward C and carrying a contactbrush, reaches C, 1000 feet more or less from the crossing 56 (Fig. 6),the signal-bell 23 in signal-box 54 near the crossing 56 will begin andcontinue to ring until said car reaches C near said crossing when saidbell will immediately stop ringing. And when said car has reached itsterminus and turned for its trip back again, its brush will be carriedon the opposite side of the track so as to bridge the gaps in thecontact-rails at C and O respectively, for thestarting and the stop pingof the signal-ball. Thus, we have an audible signal for railwaycrossings electrically and automatically operated by an approaching carto warn persons in time to.

avoid the danger;

The electrically operated mechanism of said signal, we have placed insuitable weather-proof housing 54, fastened high on v a strong post 41,covered with a shed roof 48, and a front door 50 provided with a knob51, a lock 52, and weather slats 49 across the upper part of said doorfor the ready passage of the bell-sound, and a broad panel 59 at thelower part of said door bearing some cautionary notice 60 (Fig. 4).

Having thus described our invention in detail in the foregoingspecifications, what we claim as new and useful is as follows 1. In awarning signal for railway crossings, the combination of a pair ofadjacent terminals of a relay circuit for closing a signal bell circuit,said terminals being normally insulated and fixed at a given point alonga railway track; adjacent terminals of a second relay circuit foropening said signalbell circuit, said terminals of said second relaybeing insulated and fixed at a second point along said railway track; anelectric signal-bell and its circuit arranged to be closed by theenergizing of said first relay circuit, and to be opened again by theenergizing of said second relay circuit; with a metal contactbrushcarried on a moving car, and adjusted so as to touch simultaneously andelectrically connect both adjacent nected by said contact-brush inbrushing along over said pair; an insulating rail bed for each pair ofsaid contact-rails; an insulating tongue between each pair of said railsadapted to prevent accidental short circuits between the rails of eachpair; a circuit from said rails through a local battery; a relay magnetin said circuit; a bell-circuit adapted to be closed by said relaymagnet; a signalbell in said bell-circuit for causing the audi blesignal, substantially as described.

3. In an audible warning signal for railway crossings, the combinationcomprising pairs of insulating rail-beds securely fastened to thecrossties along a railway track; a pair of parallel, metal contact-railson the upper face of each of said railbeds; an insulating tongue betweensaid rails running their entire length; a bell-starting relay circuitwhose terminals are the two contact-rails on the one of a pair of saidrail-beds; a bellstopping relay circuit whose terminals are thecontact-rails on the other of said pair of rail-beds; a signal-bell andits circuit adapted to be closed by the energizing of said bellstartingrelay circuit, and to be opened again by the energizing of saidbell-stopping re lay circuit; and a metal contact-brush carried by thecar and adapted to touch simultaneously either pair of said relayterminals to complete the circuit thereof, as said car in its coursepasses either one of any pair of said rail-beds.

4. An audible warning signal of the character described, comprising, incombination with the railway track and the contact-rails thereon, thecar and the contact-brush fastened thereto, the signal-bell and itscircuit adapted to be alternately closed and opened at predeterminedintervals by the action of relay magnets, the groove 28 on the armature28, a bell-starting relay magnet adapted to close said signal-bellcircuit, the finger 32 on the armature 32 adapted to be engaged andlocked by groove 28* when said relay magnet is energized, the springcontactstrip 31 on armature 32* adapted to contact with pin 29 to closesaid bell-circuit, the bell-stopping relay magnet 26 adapted whenenergized to cause a break in said bell-circuit, and a suitable housingfor said bell and magnets.

The foregoing specification signed at Louisville, Kentucky, this 27thday of April,

CHARLES D. ANDERSON. ASHBY G. STOUT. In presence of two witnesses C. G.BARRIOKMAN, FRANK V. STOUT.

